The 82nd Annual Church Conference of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga is to be officially opened by either Queen Halaevalu Mata‘aho or the Prince Regent Crown Prince Tupouto‘’a in Nuku‘alofa on Thursday June 16.

Revd Penisimani Fonua, the Secretary of the Free Wesleyan Church said the Palace Office had yet to confirm who would open the conference because King Taufa‘ahau Tupou IV would remain in New Zealand for a few weeks.

Revd Fonua said he was expecting over 1,300 delegates to attend the church conference, 600 from New Zealand, Australia and the United States of America.

He said that on Wednesday June 15, the first item on the agenda was the election of the President and Secretary of the Church.

Currently the president and the secretary of the church are Rev Dr ‘‘Alifeleti Mone and Revd Penisimani Fonua, respectively.

During the conference a sub-committee would be elected to look at things such as the presentation of the church's financial report, school reports and other recommendations before being submitted to the Whole committee for their deliberation, he added.

The church conference would conclude on June 23 with the appointment of church ministers to new posts in Tonga and overseas.

Feasting or kai pola four times a day remains a popular social event during the one-week conference.